Hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, are commonly obtained from subterranean formations that may be located onshore or offshore. The development of subterranean operations and the processes involved in removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation typically involve a number of different steps such as, for example, drilling a wellbore at a desired well site, treating the wellbore to optimize production of hydrocarbons, and performing the necessary steps to produce and process the hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.
After drilling a wellbore that intersects a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation, a variety of wellbore tools may be positioned in the wellbore during completion, production, or remedial activities. For example, temporary packers may be set in the wellbore during the completion and production operating phases of the wellbore. In addition, various operating tools including flow controllers (e.g., chokes, valves, etc.) and safety devices such as safety valves may be releasably positioned in the wellbore. Such tools are often lowered downhole by a wireline, a work string, or a slickline and may be configured with a fishing neck to facilitate recovery at a later time. Once downhole, the tool may be set at a desired location and released, allowing the wireline, work string, or slickline to be retrieved.
As noted above, a slickline can be used to lower and retrieve wellbore tools from the wellbore. A slickline generally includes a nonelectric cable with a polymeric coating to protect the cable from mechanical wear during deployment and retraction from the wellbore. The polymeric coating may include additives such as Teflon to prevent mechanical wear on the slickline. However, it is now recognized that there exists a need for a method for identifying and evaluating damage to the slickline coating.